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Author Notes:This cheese balls are called Chipa, originating from Paraguay, eaten all around South America. I bit into my first Chipa, homemade by a porteño. Immediately consuming 5 balls, I knew I had to get the recipe from her. This potato flour mixed with shredded cheese, butter and milk gives these balls a chewy, creamy, cheesy texture. My friend from Brazil humorously said, "This addictive cheese ball, also called Pao de Queijo in Brazil, is known to feed straight down to the arse of Brazilians." Therefore I must eat more. —FrancesRenHuang

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Makes 20~24 balls

2
cups Potato Flour (Yuca Flour)

2
Eggs, lightly beaten

1/2
cup butter, cut into 1/2 inch cube size

1
teaspoon salt

1/2
cup shredded mozzarella plus 2~3 other kinds of sharp cheeses

4-8
tablespoons whole milk

1/2
head of roasted garlic (optional)

dashes ground pepper

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix flour and butter by hand until it resembles bread crumbs with some small pieces of butter remaining.

Add salt and pepper, cheese, egg and cheese; mix well by fork.

Pour milk tablespoons at a time; mix until dough is evenly distributed and sticks together.

Dust hands generously with potato flour; drop 1 tbsp of dough onto palm and shape into a tablespoon size ball. Dust hands with flour again; repeat. *If the dough is too soft to work with, put it in the fridge for about 15 minutes.

Bake on baking sheet 10~15 minutes, until puffy and golden on top. *keep an eye on it, dough rises at the last 5 minutes of baking: cheese oozes out, slightly puffy and golden brown.

The potato flour contributes to the light chewiness texture, instead of the bready texture that wheat flours gives. Potato flour can be bought in chinese supermarkets and latino supermarkets. It can be substitute with what you can find in the market: Yuca/ Mandioca/Cassava Flour/Sweet Potato Flour. Good luck!! Tell me how it goes!